Clothes-pin.



.No. 813,589. PATENTED FEB. 2'7, 1906.

H. I. RUMFIBLD & J. R. DONAHO.

. CLOTHES PIN. I

APPLIoATloN FILED AUG. 4, 1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

wglmez Witnesses Inventors 'fl Attorneys No. 813,589. PATENTED FEB. 27, 1906.

H. RUMFIELDYz J. R. DONAHO. CLOTHES PIN.

APPLICATION Hmm AUG. 4, 1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Witnesses Inventors Attorneys HENRY I. RUMFIELD AND JAMES R.

PATENT OFFICE.

DONAHO, OF VVILLOWHOLE, TEXAS.

CLOTHES-PIN.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 27, 1906.

Application led August 4:, 1905. Serial No. 272,788.

To all whom t may concern:

Beit known that we, HENRY I. RUMFIELD and J AMES R. DONAHO, citizens of the Uni-ted States, residing at Willowhole, in the county of Madison and State of Texas, have invented a new and useful Clothes-Pin, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to clothes-pins, and especially to that class of clothes-pins which are allowed to remain continually on the clothes-line.

The object of the invention is to provide a device of the class embodying new and improved features of convenience, cheapness, and reliability of action.

A further object of the invention is to provide a clothes-pin composed of a single piece of wire arranged to engage a plurality of articles and each at a single place or a plurality of places, as the Weight of the article and other conditions may make desirable.

It is well known that the customary way of securing articles upon a clothes-line is to lap one article over another and secure both edges with one pin. Such method causes a double thickness of fabric at the lap which does not dry as quickly as the remainder of the article and in cold weather the two articles become frozen together, making it diicult to remove them without tearing. It is an object of this invention to provide a clothes-pin which secures two articles adjacent each other and without lapping.

It is further well known that a clothes-pin which will hold a garment with sufficient force in still Weather will not hold it in Windy weather. y

It is an object of this invention to providev a clothes pin having an auxiliary clamp which may or may not be applied, as the exigencies of the Weather may make necessary.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a clothes-pin adapted to hold two large articles and which may be used to secure a larger number of smaller articles and each separately.

With these and other objects in view the present invention consists in the combination and arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter fully described, shown in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the improved clothes-pin mounted on a clothes-line and in engagement with one fabric at a single point. Fig. 2 is a view of' f the clothes-pin in side elevation and in engagement with two articles and at two points of each. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a modification of the improved clothes-pin, wherein the auxiliary spring-arm is turned inwardly. Fig. 4 is a view in side elevation of a pin shown in Fig. 3 and with the auxiliary spring-arms in engagement with the line.

Like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all of the figures of the drawings.

In one embodiment the improved clothespin forming the subject-matter of this application and illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings comprises a single piece of Wire coiled to form a helix 10, encircling an ordinary clothes-line 11. At each side of the upper side of the helix the wire is bent, as at 13 and 14, to form arms 15 and 16, normally substantially parallel with the axis of the helix. The wire is then bent at 17 and 17a substantially at right angles to the arms 15 and 16 and extended, respectively, to 18 and 19, points slightly below the lower side of the helix, when they are bent upwardly to form riders 21 over the line and down to 22 and 23, curves similar to 18 and 19. From curves 22 and 23 the wire extends upward a short distance to 24 and 25, where it is again bent to form longitudinally extending arms 26 and 27, extending normally substantially parallel with the arms 15 and 16. At 28 and 29 the wire is again bent downwardly to form arms 30 and 31, stopping normally short of the line 11. The arms30 and 31 are provided with hooked ends 32 and 33, arranged to be hooked under the line 11 and held in engagement by the spring of the wire.

In another embodiment, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the pin is composed similarly of a wire coiled to form a helix 34, encircling the line. At each side the wire is bent, as at 35, to form arms 36, normally substantially parallel with the axis of the helix. The wire is then bent at 37 to form, respectively, coiled springs 38 and the downwardly-extending arms 39. The arms 39 are extended, respectively, to 40, points normally somewhat below the line 11 when they are bent upwardy to form riders 41 over the line and down to 42, curves similar to curves 40. From the curves 42 the wire extends upward a short distance to 43, where it is coiled to form the spring 44. From the springs 44 the Wire is bent to form arms 45, extending normally longitudinally of the line and toward the Ioi5 ITO

helix. the wire is again bent to form the curve 47, which ends in the hook 48, ar-

ranged to hook beneath the line, as shown in Fig. 4. It will be understood that a fabric 49 may be placed on the line 11 and engaged by the rider 4l, and thereby held While the opposite similar rider engages, if desired, another article. For more secure fastening the hook 48 may be hooked under the line and hold the fabric in two places, or several fabrics may be secured by a single pin, as by engaging a corner under each of the hooks and riders.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, a fabric or other article may be placed upon the line 11 and engaged by rider 21, and the opposite rider engaging another article on the line 11 the riders will be held firmly upon the articles and prevent their accidental displacement under ordinary circumstances. If, however, there is a high wind, the hook 32 may be hooked under the line and to engage the fabric and the hook 33 similarly used. If small articles-such, for instance, as napkins and handkerchiefs-are to be hung onl the line, each of the hooks 32 and 33 and riders2l may engage the corner of an article, thus securing at least four articles singly by use of a single pin.

It will be noted from the above that by siasi-s using or not using the hooks 32, 33, and 48 the number of points of contact of the pin upon the fabric may at will be varied to suit the climatic and other conditions,y the pin being a perfect pin without the use of the said hooks, but offering therein additional and auxiliary fastening means.

We claiml. The combination with a clothes-line, of a clothes-pin having a resilient coil encircling the line, means held in contact with the line at opposite sides of and by the resiliency of the coil and means whereby the line may be engaged at an additional point at either side.

2. The combination with a clothes-line, of a clothes-pin having a resilient coil encircling the line, riders held in resilient contact upon the line at opposite sides and by the resiliency of the coil and arms carried by the riders and having terminal hooks arranged to engage under the line,

In testimony that we claim the foregoing as our own we have hereto affixed our signatures in the presence of two witnesses.

HENRY I. RUMFIELD. JAMES R. DONAHO.

Witnesses:

I. P. CHEATHAM, J. E. KEEFER. 

